The Oswego State softball team dropped a combined six games against three teams last weekend, dropping its record to 4-13 on the season (1-9 SUNYAC).
Due to poor field conditions, the Lakers played a doubleheader against The College at Brockport on Friday at Hopkins Road Park in Liverpool. Oswego State dropped the first game 9-7 before falling in game two, 10-7.
On Saturday and Sunday, the team played in Baldwinsville in two more doubleheaders against SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Plattsburgh, respectively.
On Saturday, the Lakers fell to Geneseo 10-2 in game one and 9-4 in game two.
On Sunday, Oswego State dropped both games against Plattsburgh, falling 18-7 in game two after losing 3-2 in the opener.
Head coach Casey Price said that she likes what she is seeing from the team’s offense; however, she said the defensive aspect is what is putting them in a hole.
“We’re producing a lot of runs, but my pitching staff is [also] letting in a lot of runs,” Price said.
Price said that having a home field advantage would have helped due to a lot of balls going out in Liverpool and Baldwinsville that would not have gone out in Oswego.
The team is also having difficulty producing runs once runners are able to get on base, according to Price.
Aside from this, however, she says that the team is able to hit the ball with success and that this is something to look at in a positive light.
Another glimmer of hope is the production of freshman pitcher Katie Heselden. Price spoke highly of her young player, saying she is impressed with how hard she throws and how bright her future is.
“I mean she throws mid-60s,” Price said. “She’s definitely coming around and she’s going to be very good for us.”
Heselden has had her fair share of work in the nine games that she’s played this season, throwing 26.1 innings as a freshman.
Heselden said her team’s misfortunes have not deflated them, in terms of morale, and that the squad is too close-knit for anything like that to happen.“When one person gets down, somebody else can pick them up,” Heselden said. “We just need to make sure we’re loud in the dugout and not just pumped at the end, but pumped the whole game.”
Despite not having a real home crowd to cheer her on, Heselden says that, while it has been a bit discouraging not being able to play in Oswego “it’s not where you play, it’s how you play.”
The lack of home field advantage should be coming to an end for Oswego State. According to a member of the grounds crew who was out prepping the infield on Wednesday, the field should be ready for the team’s doubleheader against SUNY Potsdam on Sunday.
Heselden said that the team’s current record does not define who they are and that they have worked hard all season. The potential that the team has, Heselden said, is sky high and playing more can prove that.
Price reiterated this notion by saying that it was difficult after the six games this past weekend, especially on Sunday, but that she reminded her team that they are a much better ball club than that.
“It’s just putting everything together,” Price said. “It’s going to come for us and the kids have to believe that and I believe that.”
Senior second baseman Katie Bredin had a very productive weekend at the plate for the Lakers. Bredin went 10 for 25 during the six-game stretch, upping her average from .289 to .333 on the season.
Senior outfielder Sammie Schroeter also found individual success at the plate to up her average to .367 on the year.
Schroeter hit her first home run of the season in the team’s first game against Geneseo on Saturday. She finished with three RBIs and four runs scored during the weekend.
Sophomore pitcher Alexis Nasca holds the lowest ERA of all the team’s pitchers at 5.01. She started the second game against Plattsburgh, but gave up eight earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched.
However, against Geneseo in the first game of their double header, Nasca pitched five innings without giving up a single run.
Nasca also holds the best batting average on the team for full-time players at .370. She will take a seven-game hitting streak into this weekend when the Lakers face off against Postdam at home on Sunday with games scheduled to start at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Prior to the home games, Oswego State will travel to SUNY Fredonia for a doubleheader on Friday.
The first game is slated to begin at 3 p.m., while game two has a 5 p.m. start time. The team will then go to Buffalo State to play another doubleheader on Saturday at noon and 2 p.m.
The Lakers look to improve on what has been a stressful season and come out of this weekend with some momentum.
